Hawaii’s iconic Hōlei Sea Arch has collapsed into the Pacific Ocean, vanishing just days after visitors photographed the landmark still standing.
The 90-foot arch at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island was intact on Wednesday, Sept. 23, but had disappeared by Sunday night, the National Park Service said.
Officials have not determined exactly when the formation fell. They believe the collapse may have occurred during the three-day temporary park closure prompted by Tropical Storm Nolo.
The storm brought heavy rain and strong winds to the Big Island, leading to flash flooding and road closures across the area.
Authorities had warned visitors to avoid the area near Hōlei Sea Arch, where cliffs plunge directly into the Pacific and can give way without warning.
Social media photos show people entering the closed zone near the arch’s former location, officials said. Doing so exposed them to the risk of falling into the ocean and placed first responders in danger.
“We were just there on Sept 23rd around 10 am and are probably some of the last few to see it still standing,” one visitor wrote on Facebook.
“Very sad to hear of the loss of the arch. It figured in many of our vacation photographs throughout the 1990s. But the natural world is indeed constantly changing,” another person posted.
“Was lucky enough to see it in both 2012 and in 2022 when I visited the park. The changes from 2012 to 2022 were substantial,” a third tourist wrote.
“What a beautiful and special place. We are so sad that it is gone,” another visitor added.
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, located on the Big Island, is home to Kīlauea and Mauna Loa, two of the world’s most active volcanoes.
The park attracts large numbers of visitors drawn to its dramatic volcanic terrain, lava fields and other geological features.
Hōlei Sea Arch stood at the end of Chain of Craters Road. Waves carved the formation through an ancient lava flow roughly 550 years ago.
Its collapse came after years of cracking, earthquakes and relentless surf weakened the site.
Earthquakes linked to the 2018 Kilauea eruption and summit collapse also damaged the cliffs surrounding the arch.
After new cracks and signs of instability appeared, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park closed the original viewing area in January 2020.
A safer viewing point, set farther back from the cliff edge, opened in March 2020.
Later that year, powerful surf from Tropical Storm Darby broke away a section of rock from the arch’s lower portion.